An Alternate End To The 19th Century
by GummyRabbit
Summary: Allen gets lost ever so easily! What happens if he never found the Black Order headquarters? Without his master, Allen is free to do whatever he wishes. Or is he?
1. Prologue

Prologue

The white haired boy sat at the back of carriage, which is travelling along a cobbled street. "Timcampy," He said worriedly, "Don't fly around too much. What will we do if you got eaten by a cat again?" The boy held his hand out to the little gold golem, and heard a voice from behind him, "You were bitten by a cat?" He turned to face the clown smiling down at him. "Well, the cat rose up from the grave." The boy replied matter-of-factly. "What-" The woman dressed up in a rabbit's costume rudely pushed the clown aside, "Did you come here to do some sightseeing, traveller?" Timcampy landed on the boy's head as he said, "No. Just going there to greet them. To the Headquarters of the exorcists!" The boy smiled at the pair.

_Three Months Ago_

_Outside the window, elephants big and small sprayed water over themselves, dressed in colourful fabric. Inside the room it is relatively dark and dusty. "It's been three years since you became my apprentice. I think it's time you go out on your own. From today on, you carry the title 'exorcist'." The apprehensive apprentice suddenly livened up, "Really?!" He asked excitedly, grimy face splitting into a smile. "But, to officially become an exorcist you must first come with me to the headquarters to greet the people there. You do know where the headquarters is right?" The boy eyed the hammer in his red haired master's hand with complete distrust, "Yes?" His master approached him slowly, hammer in one hand and wine-glass in the other, "I'll have my golem accompany you. I'll even recommend you to your superior Komui... When you wake up, go forth!" The boy leaned back, dread etched in his features, "Don't tell me you're backing out of coming with me, Master!" The last thing he remembered was his master holding the hammer over his head, and the words, "I hate it there, Allen!"_

What an unpleasant memory. He can't seem to stop thinking about it. _"I hate it there!" _Allen shivered. He didn't know whether or not that should be a good thing or not. What could possibly be at the headquarters that his master hates so much? Is it something much worse than living with his master? Dread creeped into his consciousness. Something that's much worse than his master...

Allen stared at the rolling sea, dumbfounded. Not that there was anything wrong with the sea, of course. It's glistening green and blue, like any other sea out there. Allen looked down at his map again, which he bought out of paranoia. Nope. The sea isn't here. This is supposedly where the headquarters is supposed to be, but... He looked up again, reconfirming the sight of the stretch of raging waters. Where is the exorcist's headquarters? Because it's not here. A horrible thought struck the white haired boy, freezing him in place. "Maybe... I'm lost?!" The startled shout is unanswered as it echoed in the ever blue sky.


	2. Questions

**Questions**

"What should we do, Timcampy?" Allen asked his gold golem pitifully, "I can't find the headquarters anywhere!" If golems could shrug, he was sure that's exactly what Tim did. The boy looked forlornly at the rolling waves, as if hoping the Black Order's HQ could magically rise from under the ocean. Sure, the headquarters may have an exorcist who can perform such a feat, but hoping for such a miracle may be too much of a stretch after all. Allen sighed.

After half an hour of pondering, the boy stood up abruptly, startling his golem. Allen's stomach growled. "I'm starving." He cast one last glance at the offending ocean before saying, "Well, I'll just get something to eat first before deciding what to do."

"Letter? From General Cross?" Komui looked at his beloved sister blankly. "Yes, the General who went missing three years ago. According to Squad Leader Reever, it was received a few weeks ago. It should be here somewhere." She exasperatedly pointed at the desk, which is overloaded with pieces of paper, gathering to a mountain of appalling size. Komui, hearing that, at once discarded his foolish appearance, "From General Cross... He hasn't contacted headquarters for so long, we thought he might be dead... Why did he send us a letter?" Without a doubt, it should be about a very important topic.

Allen sighed in relief. "Thanks for the meal." He said to no one in particular. The boy looked up from his seat in the restaurant only to find a few stares directed his way and shuffled uncomfortably, pulling his hood further over his snow white hair. After having paid for the meal, he said to Timcampy quietly, "I guess it's not everyday people watch a kid eat so much, huh?" Then laughed nervously, hoping that is why they were staring at him.

"Akuma! It's an akuma!" From outside the restaurant, Allen sprang into action at the voice, running towards the origin of the shout. He turned the corner to a small street, "Akuma? Where is it?!" A few adults turned to him with irritated eyes. "There's no akuma," One said, "Look what you did, Jan! Screaming about akuma all the time." By then, Allen had stopped listening, instead zeroing on the man in a messy outfit, his cursed eye activating. In the swirl of Dark Matter, he can clearly see the soul, bound by a single chain, floating over the man. He quickly let strands of his hair cover the left side of his face so that they can't see his activated eye as the adults turned to him "Sorry, it's this guy's fault, don't mind him." Allen smiled, "It's no problem."

As soon as the adults left, the akuma turned on the boy, Jan, who looked terrified, and a pentacle appeared on its forehead. Allen was ready for that, however, and he activated his anti-akuma weapon, silvery claws reaching for the akuma almost on it's own accord. "You can't fool my eye, akuma." The akuma's face split open, and it promptly turned to ash. Again, the white haired boy felt a slight sadness singing in his chest. Oh pitiful akuma, let your soul be saved. He chanted in his heart. Allen turned to Jan, "Are you all right?" Jan, still shocked, merely nodded his head.

"So your father is a scientist at the Black Order?" Jan had recovered all his previous vigor and grinned at Allen, "Yes! I once looked into his research notes and found out all about the akuma. Me and Leo promised to guard this town against the akumas." Allen thought for a second, "Do you know where the Black Order is?" Jan looked at him, startled, "You mean you don't know?" Allen felt another wave of depression about to overwhelm him. "I do know where it is roughly." He said defensively. Jan looked to the front again, "Anyways, I don't know. I didn't find out anything from the notes. I do have a question, can you still be an exorcist without being a part of the Black Order?" Allen stopped walking. He'd never thought about that... "Not officially, I don't think. But it's not like there's a license for whether you are allowed to kill akuma or not..." Jan skated before Allen, his helmet's untied straps flapping, "So why do exorcists have to go to the Black Order?" This time, Allen had no answer for the younger boy. "I don't know." He answered truthfully.

After that short talk with Jan, Allen thought to himself. Why? Why do I have to go to the Black Order? Why indeed. Was there ever a reason for anything? Why does the Earl create hateful weapons made of tortured souls and ice cold machinery? Why does Dark Matter exist? Why is he born with this arm? Why can only he see it? The very human souls that inhabit the akuma. They grieve and cry too.

"Timcampy, I'll stop looking for the headquarters and go travel on my own. What will you do?"

At night, when he collapsed in the bed of his hotel room, he thought for a while, wondering if he made the right choice. What is the right choice in the first place? All his life, he'd been travelling. With Mana, and with Master. Out of all the things in his life, only that had not changed one bit. _"Don't stop walking. Keep moving forth." _Yes. Allen smiled a smile of both happiness and sorrow. "I promise, Mana." He murmured tenderly, "I'll keep walking until the day I die." The fifteen year old boy carved the vow into his heart.

_Someone held the red haired boy's hand, pulling the boy along. The boy looked up and recognised the clown's face. Mana. Even with the man's lips painted a garish red, the boy still recognised his Mana. He is smiling, laughing, so the boy smiled and laughed too. "Let's go, [ ]." His foster father said, still smiling joyously, half-dancing. Meanwhile, the boy frowned ever so slightly, "Mana, my name is Allen." But Mana didn't answer, "Let's go, [ ]." The boy tugged at his father's sleeve, "I'm Allen!" Still Mana didn't answer, "Let's go, [ ]." As the boy was about to repeat himself, Mana said, "I love you, Allen." Did he say Allen? "I love you [ ]." Who? Who did Mana love? The red haired boy, or... Who?_

That same boy opened his eyes, filled with confusion and a question. Who? Who is Neah?


	3. Level Two

**Level Two**

A little girl ran on the recently soaked dirt road, terrified. Her breathless whimpers rang loudly in the silent night. She peered behind her and let out a scream of terror. The metallic floating object with its multitude of canons poking out of its bulbous body seemed to mock her effort, as after the long run, it's still as close to her as it had been before. The exhausted girl collapsed onto the ground, spent. The mask of a face planted atop the creature's front contorted to a twisted sneer, and the sound of machine gun fire shattered the quiet.

The girl shut her eyes tightly, but the pain doesn't come. Death doesn't come. Cautiously, she opened her eyes. She took in the silvery claw and pale green light emanating from it with wide eyes. Meanwhile, Allen sighed with relief. When he saw the purple light of akuma gunfire, he was afraid that he might be too late, but there the little girl is, safe and sound. He's going to make sure it stays that way. "Are you all right?" He asked her. The girl nodded her head yes. Now... What to do? He can't fight when he has to protect the girl. Allen surveyed his surroundings, "Do you see those woods around there? Please head for that direction." The girl took off for the forests. The boy turned back to the akuma. He sees the soul, with the same feeling of regret and sorrow as every single time he faced them. Trapped, chained and imprisoned. The pained, the agonised, the tortured. For some reason, this soul seemed to be more pained than any other he'd met so far. Seeing that, he couldn't help but soften his voice, a tone that bordered on tenderness, "Sorry to keep you waiting." Even though he knew the akuma couldn't answer him.

"Huh?" The soul... Allen stood with his mouth slightly ajar as the vaguely human shape stretched into horrifying forms, not resembling anything. Slowly it settled into a shape slightly reminiscent that of a person hugging their knees, shoulders hunched and wrapped in torn bandages. Before Allen could decide on a course of action, the akuma's metal shell cracked and tore.

Laughing filled the air between Allen and the akuma. "I am akuma. I think therefore I am akuma." The voice sounded it belonged to neither a man or a woman. Out of the akuma came a freak of a- no, this _is_ akuma. Allen sees the soul, but any other person would not have realised that this is the same thing as the akuma it came out of. "It spoke." The sound is one of disbelief. An akuma spoke. Then the boy saw the number on said akuma's chest. 2. Does this mean it evolved? Allen knows that akumas evolve, but he had no idea how. Is this the form of an evolved akuma? An ironic smile tugged at Allen's mouth. The outer appearance of an akuma becomes more human-looking while the soul inside becomes less and less human every time it kills? Sounds like something the Earl would do. What does he know of the Earl anyways? It doesn't matter. There's a soul in front of him right now. He won't let it suffer any longer than it already did.

Allen gasped, more out of pain than surprise, though he would never admit that. The akuma cackled again, noise grating on his ears. The boy steadied himself on the grassy and uneven field. His silver eyes darted from side to side. He caught sight of something to his left and swung his claw that way. The image of the akuma is ripped apart, but the soul is absent. No! That's not it! Where is it? This play of hide and seek is wearing on Allen's nerves. The akuma hid in the shadows it created and struck at him when it sees an opening. A chill ran down Allen's back and he ducked just in time. If he'd stayed there for a second longer, he'd be hospitalised for three months at best. He used this opportunity to aim his anti-akuma weapon at it, the silver claw turned into a gun in an instant. Yellow rods of pure energy shot out, impaling the akuma, which Allen now confirmed to be the real one and not an illusion. "Damn you, exorcist!" It snarled and made to retreat back into it's shadows. The boy is not going to let that happen. Turning his weapon into a crude saber with no visible sharp point, he chased after the humanoid dark splotch in the corner of his vision. Leaping forward, desperate not to lose sight of the akuma again, Allen slashed his arm down onto the dark splotch that he knows to be the akuma, he sees the shadows disperse and the chain locking the soul away snap, the soul once again that of a human. Allen smiled, sad and relieved. Then he collapsed.

"Miss police officer, this way." The little girl tugged on Moore's sleeve timidly. Inwardly, she sighed, having long given up on explaining to children that 'police officer' is in no way part of her name. The girl had wandered quite far from town, and her parents are hysterical by the time they found the girl. The girl, however, had insisted that they come back out here to look for 'a white-haired boy' who saved her from a monster. Of course, Moore didn't believe something like that. There is no such things as monsters. At first, the female officer had been concerned whether the girl had injured her head, but it soon became apparent that apart from slight fatigue, the girl is fine. Hence why Moore is here rather than taking the girl back to her family. If there really is a boy out there, she would have to take care of him too.

A gasp escaped her lips as she beheld the boy, collapsed on the field not fifty meters from the woods. As the little girl had described, the boy had white hair, though as it is now, it is darkened with blood. Moore ran to the boy, "Hey! Young man, are you all right?" She checked his breathing, relieved that while shallow, it's even. They'll have to get him medical attention fast.

Allen opened his eyes, not surprised that he woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. He's long used to it while he traveled. What did surprise him is that he has no recollection as to how he got here. He thought back, and sat bolt upright, then grimaced at the pain that stabbed at him in different places of his body. He had been more injured than he thought. While every cut he sustained aren't much by itself, it did amount to quite a critical condition when they piled up. He must have passed out from loss of blood. Probing some of his more painful wounds, he realised that they are all cleanly bandaged. He looked around the room. He's not in the hospital, even though the sheets are white, the rest of the room isn't. It's coloured in shades of brown, caramel and cream, with minimal furniture and small, but homely.

The door at the other end of the room opened with a slight creak. "You awake?" Can't you tell? Allen answered, "Yes. Thank you for taking care of me while I was unconscious." A brunette in her mid-twenties came into the room, holding what Allen hoped is a very large breakfast. As the boy scarfed down the food in record speed, Moore watched him carefully. "Ne, where did you get that scar?" Allen's hand flew to the deep crimson line on his left cheek, mind scrambling for a convincing lie. "Uh... I had it ever since I could remember... so I don't know." The brunette seemed to accept that answer. "I haven't seen you around here before, a traveller?" He nodded in confirmation. The woman stood up, "Anyways, you can stay here for your cuts to heal." Once she left, Allen lay back down, "Level two, huh? I guess I have to step up a little too." He smiled wryly, thinking of his condition from fighting just one level two.

In the end Moore didn't ask the boy about his run-in with the 'monster' the little girl talked about. She's not sure if he would like to talk about it or not, seeing how he reacted when she asked about the scar on his face. Anyways, monsters definitely isn't part of an officer's work, as long as the civilians are safe, she didn't really care.

"Moore, has the boy woken up?" She smiled back at the beaming couple, "Yes, thanks to your care, the boy woke up way earlier than I thought he would." The husband said with a voice filled with relief, "Thank goodness, I thought the boy might die, having lost so much blood." Moore nodded in agreement, then looked at the couple again, "Mark nii-san, Clare nee-san, did something good happen?" At that question their smiles widened still, and Clare put a hand protectively over her stomach. Moore's eyes widened, "No way!" Clare laughed, "Moore, you're going to be an auntie soon! Do you want to name the child?"


	4. Exorcists?

**Hi! GummyRabbit here~ Okay... Just clarifying in advance... The italic bits is Allen's thoughts and the italic and bold text is Neah. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Exorcists?**

During the dawn of a pleasantly warm morning, the boy got out of bed with a messy flop of white hair. Drearily, he dragged himself to the bathroom where he cleaned himself up for the day. While brushing his teeth, Allen narrowed his eyes at his reflection. Is it just him, or did the shadow standing next to him become slightly more distinct than when he last checked yesterday? _**You know, it's rude to stare. **_At the unexpected voice in his head, Allen did naught but make a face. _If that reflection is one of a human, I wouldn't stare, Neah. __**See? That just proves my point. You are so completely rude. You just said I wasn't human! **__Of course you aren't! You are nothing but a figment of my imagination! Therefore I don't need to be polite with you! __**I am not your freaking imagination! I'm telling you! I am your uncle Neah! **__What sort of an uncle would live inside their nephew's body? Plus, no one else can see you in the reflection, if that isn't enough proof! __**There are circumstances! C-I-R-C-U-M-S-T-A-N-C-E-S! **__Yeah, right. Now if you're done, I need to catch the 8 o'clock train. __**Oh? Where are we going this time? **_At the suddenly interested Neah, Allen sighed. "I won't tell you. Figure it out yourself." _**What?! Why? **_Neah whined, making him smile. "I felt like torturing you." _**Come on! Please? **_Allen laughed, enjoying Neah's torment, "Never!" _**Pretty please? **_"No! Is this how an uncle should act?" _**Allen!**_

It's been three months since Allen decided not to look for the Black Order, and two months since he got to know Neah. It was only natural, after all, Allen had been travelling for one month with only a golem who can't talk back for company, obviously his brain is going to make up an imaginary being to entertain Allen with. Neah is a weird name. It felt like Allen should have heard the name somewhere before, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember. At first Neah has quite a nasty personality, but after another month of travelling, he seemed to have calmed down a little. Allen went around destroying akuma and earned money by playing(cheating at) poker. Without Master and his debts, Allen found it surprising how much extra money he had left after paying for food, transport and accommodations. It's simply miraculous, how much money Master manages to spend.

In addition to those things, his left eye seems to have evolved. His pentagram and the rest of his scar darkened. Just like an akuma. The thought still slightly disturbed him, and saddened him, for it reminded him of Mana. It probably happened when he fought against a level two akuma, who damaged his cursed eye. When the eye healed again, Allen found that he could detect akuma even through the walls of buildings, which he couldn't do before, and the distance in which he can detect them is now longer too. He can find akuma within a 300 meter radius.

"Thank goodness! I thought I wasn't going to make it." Allen sighed in relief. He and Tim had successfully made it onto the train. _**Even though you got up at six in the morning. **_Neah snorted. The boy ignored his self-proclaimed uncle, finding an empty row of seats. Not a minute passed after the train had set off did Allen yawn. _**See? You woke up way too early. **_He frowned, _I barely even made it when I woke up so early, what would I do if I woke up at seven like I usually do? __**It's because you got lost on the way to the train station that we barely made it! Enough. It's a train anyways, get some sleep. **__I'll take it up on your offer, Uncle. _Allen muttered drily in his head.

_**Allen! Wake up, wake up! **_Neah clamoured without restraint. The boy winced, "Huh?" **_Don't 'Huh?' me, Nephew! We've stopped at the next station! Do we get off? _**_No we don't! There's still a long way to go, idiot! _Allen could see in his mind's eye Neah scowling at him, _**It's not my fault you didn't tell where we are supposed to go! Who's the idiot here? **_Allen didn't reply, instead he glared out the window after his sleep was unpleasantly interrupted. Passengers boarded the already packed train. "Excuse me, can we please sit with you? Um..." Allen looked up to find a teenager redhead, a middle aged, depressed-looking guy with elf ears and another person standing behind him. He spotted the familiar rose cross – the one Master always wore – on the redhead's uniform and smiled, "Sure." **_Fancy meeting them here, don't you think? _**_Yeah..._

The redhead sat opposite to Allen, next to the window, with the middle-aged man beside him. The other guy sat down next to him. _Neah... _**_Hmm? How weird, you almost never start a conversation with me. _**_Yeah. But I've got a question. See, do you think the exorcist next to me is a man or a woman? _He looked at the guy sitting next to him carefully. Long and neat blue-black hair is pulled back into a pony-tail. The exorcist had oriental features. Neah seemed to frown, **_He's definitely a man. Look at his broad shoulders and how tall he is. Plus, he's got no breasts. _**Allen contemplated that briefly, _But there are tall females too, you know? The same goes for broad shoulders. If the exorcist has a very flat chest there is no way I could tell through the uniform. What I'm interested in is the hair. Why is it so long? It's not like it's hard to cut. _**_Hah! You have no right to judge! Since when did you last cut _****your ****_hair? _**_Shut up Neah, it's not that long._

"What are you staring at?" Allen was jerked back into reality. **_There's your chance! Why don't you ask the person directly? _**The boy took a look at the exorcist's surly expression and thought better of it. "Nothing." He said airily. The exorcist looked at him with a sort-of glare, then, "Tch. Moyashi." _Moyashi? _Neah is laughing his ass off, that bastard. Allen positively burned with indignity, but he put on his poker face, which he honed during his travels, "At least I don't look like someone who can't be discerned between a man or a woman." He scoffed. "Wha-" As the exorcist spluttered, the redhead cracked up laughing. Allen smiled, taking a liking to the redhead exorcist. "Shut up, Lavi! I'll cut you apart!" The middle-aged man remained depressed with all the commotion. **_Oh, that man isn't an exorcist. See, he's not wearing the uniform like the other two. But he does have an Innocence with him. _**_Innocence? _Allen had never heard of the term.

Ignoring the dark-haired exorcist, Allen turned to the redhead, "You are Lavi, right? I'm Allen, nice to meet you." The redhead, with his eyepatch and his green headband, grinned at Allen cheerily, "Nice to meet you too, Allen!" The white haired boy couldn't help but smile back. It's been a while since he met someone who wouldn't stare openly at his white hair and marred left cheek. But then again, exorcists are not superstitious people, "So, where are you guys headed?" Lavi was about to speak but was interrupted by the other exorcist, "Don't give any unnecessary information away, we're on a mission." He hissed menacingly. "What are you doing here anyways, Yu? Aren't you assigned to General Tiedoll's group?" At that the raven haired exorcist flashed Lavi a death glare, "Don't call me by my first name, Baka Usagi." Yu growled venomously, "You have the nerve to ask. Isn't it because you guys are doing such a lousy job at finding General Cross? The freaking sister complex Komui had to assigned me to General Cross' group!" The boy jolted, there are two really familiar names in the conversation just now. What do they want with his Master?

"It's the first time I've been on a train! I'll explore it a little." The elf-eared man – Arystar Crowley muttered like a kid at a candy shop before setting off on his adventure. "What's with him? He was so depressed just a moment ago too." Allen asked, elbow leaning on the windowsill and chin in his hand. Lavi gave him a complicated expression, "Well, he's still getting over his girlfriend's death." **_That wimpy dude actually had a girlfriend?! Preposterous! _**_Neah, don't be rude. _"Did he just say it's the first time he's been on a train?" That shouldn't be possible, should it? Lavi leaned back loosely, "Let's just say he's been shut away for a while. You'll be surprised by how gullible he is... Now I feel guilty about badmouthing Crow-chan."

"Hey, Crowley still isn't back. Does it really take three hours to explore a train?" **_Maybe he got lost. _**_In a straight corridor? Even someone like me isn't likely to get lost on a straight corridor! _**_Ah, but that is only 'not likely', but not impossible. _**_Don't sweat the details, Neah. _Lavi stood up, "I'll go look for him." At that, Allen stood up as well, "Me too." He does NOT want to be left alone with Yu. As they walked slowly along the corridor, looking for signs of Crowley, Lavi started saying, "Since you asked me before, where might you be heading, all by yourself?" Allen wanted to argue that point, but it's not like he can show Lavi Master's golem, or tell him about Neah without sounding like a nutter. "I'm just travelling. You know, sightseeing."

"Crowley! What happened?!" Lavi cried, aghast at the sight. Crowley is sniffling pitifully, stripped to his floral boxers. The reason presented itself as the cards on the floor, and the three men sitting opposite from Crowley. "These men *sniff, invited me to play a game called poker." **_I understand what Lavi meant when he said 'gullible'. _**Neah grumbled. _He got scammed. _Allen sighed inwardly. "No good, children is currently forbidden in here." The guy in the middle grinned, cigarette stuck between his teeth, thick glasses flashing. Lavi's eye flicked to the little boy sitting beside the three men and raised an eyebrow. "Now, chap, would you like another round?" The curly-haired guy with the cigarette said, leaning forward, still grinning, "Um... but..." Crowley stuttered, "C'm'on, you can't back out now." Lavi doesn't look like he can cheat at poker... "This person's coat is trimmed with silver. Would you be willing to wager that for all of Crowley's clothes?" Allen smiled innocently. "Hey! Allen!" Lavi whispered. "Deal." The thick glasses seemed to glint evilly.

"Call." Allen was all smiles as he revealed his cards. The three man, now stripped to their boxers, stared at those cards. "Royal... Straight... Flush..." They said in unison, "Damn it! One more time!" His poker face still intact, Allen started shuffling, cards flying flawlessly with well practiced ease. Inside, he felt a devilish glee at winning. **_Hey, Allen... Calm down... _**He ignored Neah. "Sure, just make sure to wash those boxers before you hand them over, all right?" He said sweetly. Crowley looked at Allen and what is in his eyes could only be described as hero-worship, "You are amazing Allen!" Sitting beside him, Lavi looked at the scene with shock, "Hey, no offence, but aren't you getting a bit too lucky?" He muttered. Allen, still smiling, answered, "Well, that's because I'm cheating." The red-head jolted, "Eh? I didn't take you for a person like that..." Allen shrugged slightly, "They played Crowley first, so I'm just returning the favor. Since it's one on three, I think it's only fair." He laughed evilly, scaring Lavi. Smirking, he revealed his new set of cards, "Four of a kind." This is too easy.

"Here." Allen held out the three suitcases out to the men and the boy who just stepped out of the train, "I don't care as long as I got my friend's clothes back. It'll be tough to be wearing only your underwear in this weather." He smiled kindly at them, "Shounen, we have not sunk so low as to accept your pity." Allen's eyes widened a fraction, then he smirked, "Is that why you're grabbing for them?" The three men didn't even have the shame to look sheepish. "Oh look at that." The Thick Glasses exclaimed. They dressed rather quickly. The boy walked up to Allen, short curly hair and large eyes, half his face covered with a mask. Allen looked at the boy curiously, who held out his little hand, a string which Allen guessed was from a necklace sticking out the side of his fist. Thick Glasses saw that and said, "Eaze! That's your treasure, hang on, I'll find something else to give him!" He searched frantically in his pockets while Allen just smiled, "It's okay, don't worry about it." The train started to move when Thick Glasses threw something Allen's way, "Here!" He caught it. It's a deck of cards. The one he played with. "Let us off with that, kay?" Thick Glasses called, his arm around Eaze's shoulder, and Allen smiled.

Soon it was Allen's turn to leave the train, with Lavi, Crowley and Yu(albeit reluctantly) seeing him off. "Bye Allen! I hope we get to meet again!" He smiled at Lavi, "I hope so too." His words were genuine. "Tch." Yu looked at Allen like he wanted to slice the white-haired boy in half. "By the way, if I don't call you by your first name, what do I call you?" Yu looked at him as if checking if he's serious, "Kanda." Allen resisted the urge to repeat the name, "Well, lets not we see each other again, BaKanda." The train left before the older male could think of a reply. Lavi, of course, told Allen that Kanda is male. _What happens if I never meet them again? _His thoughts were worried and lonely. **_Don't worry, as long you keep killing akuma, you're bound to meet them again. _**_...Thanks, Neah. _A startled silence ensued. Then, **_You're welcome..._**

Once Kanda finished reporting to Komui about what occurred in Crowley's mansion, the male at the other end of the line started talking, "What do you think of Crowley?" He frowned, "He can take on a level two, so he should be fine for the time being. Why?" Meanwhile, Komui sat in his office, drowning in paper, holding the letter from General Cross, "Ah, nothing, really. I received a letter from General Cross. It's sent half a year ago, so don't get excited." On the other side, Kanda's brow furrowed even further, "A letter from the General? What is it about?" Komui chuckled, "I said don't get excited. Apparently, General Cross has an apprentice, he's supposed to have gotten here three months ago... but there's no one yet. The boy is missing. If you see him, just give me a call." Kanda shrugged, though Komui couldn't see it. The boy is probably dead by now. It happens. "His name is Allen Walker." Wait... the moyashi was called Allen... "Fortunately, General Cross had sent us a picture. He looks quite unique, so you can't miss him. He's got white hair and a cursed eye. His innocence is of parasitic type in the form of his left arm-" Before Komui could finish his description, Kanda snarled, "Why didn't you say so earlier!" And slammed the phone back with enough force to cracked the wall behind the booth. On the other side, Komui held the phone away from his ear and winced. What made him so angry?


	5. Innocence and the Soothsayer

**Innocence and the Soothsayer**

"Dammit! Where's the damn Moyashi?!" Kanda scanned the train station furiously. "There's no way he'd still be in the train station, you know?" Lavi said concomitantly. "Who are we looking for?" The redhead jumped a meter in the air, "Lenalee! You scared me! What are you doing here?" She smiled, "Nii-san finally let me go back here to help you find General Cross." Lavi pictured an embarrassed Lenalee with her brother clutching her like there's no tomorrow while crying rivers over her exorcist uniform. Then he struggled not to laugh. "We are looking for Allen Walker. You should know, Cross' apprentice." Her eyes widened, "You know where he is?" Before Lavi could answer, "If we knew where he is, we don't have to look do we?" Kanda glared at their surroundings. Lavi worried for Allen's fate when they finally find him. Kanda for one...

Half an hour's walk from the train station, Allen finished his last plate of food. Thankfully, no one is around the restaurant to send him criticising looks. The owner is there, though. "You have quite the appetite." The owner's eyes are crinkled with age and he smiled at Allen in a friendly way, to which the boy could only respond with a sheepish smile, "Sorry." The man chuckled, "Don't apologise! It's heartening to see a young man eat so much. I haven't seen you around here, are you a traveller?" Allen nodded. The shop owner's eyes lit up, "Are you here to meet the fortune teller?" At Allen's confused look, the old man mirrored his expression, "You don't know? Down the street lives a young girl called Meilin, and her grandfather. The girl can predict your future, and everything she said came true!" _**This is interesting... Lets check it out, Moyashi. **__Don't call me that!_

Allen walked down the stately Chinese streets, stopping at the gates of the fortune teller's home. _**You didn't get lost this time, thank god. **__There's no way I can get lost on a straight alleyway, Neah. _Allen commented, annoyed. He took a deep breath and walked in the open gates.

Once in the room the old man, supposedly Meilin's grandfather, had guided him to, a girl no more than twelve greeted him by his name, while he was sure he'd never given it. "How do you know my name?" The fortune teller tilted her head slightly, wide eyes expressing a wisdom beyond her age, "I have been expecting you to come for a long time, Allen Walker." Internally, he was more than a little spooked. Even he didn't know he's going to come here until the shop owner told him about her. "I have a warning for you, if you care to listen." She gestured him to sit, which he complied. She sat herself, "Don't join the Black Order." Another question sprang to mind immediately, but Meilin pushed on, "Don't ask me how I know about the Black Order, just trust me. You can continue to kill akuma even without joining it. If you do join, you'll face a path more painful than if you didn't, and end up with little to gain from it. The war between light and darkness will escalate soon. You will become the deciding factor of either side's victory. Choose your path wisely. Good luck because you'll need it. This is all I have to say for you."

_**There's some interesting information there... **_Allen nodded as he walked down the street again, this time looking for lodgings. _Seems like I'm right to not look for the Order. __**Yeah. For once your habit of getting lost paid off. **_His eyes scanned the surrounding buildings. He stopped dead in his tracks as his left eye activated, phantom gears over his eye turning. _Akuma! They are where Meilin is! _Allen jumped onto the roof, upsetting a few birds, which he paid no heed to. He ran along the tilted tiles, praying that he would make it in time.

Lavi swung his hammer, followed by explosions as the akumas are crushed under the Innocence. "There's no end to them!" For Kanda, though, that is hardly a problem. He can destroy akuma for as long as they care to fight. "First Illusion: Beasts of the Underworld!" The blue-white ghostly forms of his illusion tore dozens of akumas apart. Lenalee and Crowley went to chase after the level two who abducted Meilin and her crystal ball. It was then that he caught sight of a certain someone's white hair. He growled, "Lavi! Take care of them yourself!" Then he ran after the boy, who's disappearing fast into the forest. So many damn trees around! Lavi's pitiful calls disappeared into the distance. The moyashi's quicker than he first thought, and it took a while to catch up to the younger boy. Kanda's hand snagged Allen's sleeve and brought him to a halt.

Allen tried to keep his breath even. It's been a while since he had to run for his life, so he's a bit out of shape. Maybe his master's debt had been good for at least something. "What do you want, BaKanda? Why are you here in the first place?" Weren't they getting off at another station? "Don't lie to me. You are Cross' apprentice aren't you?" He stiffened. Allen loathed to be associated with his master. Nothing good came out of it. Kanda smirked, "So I was right. You'll be coming with us." The white-haired boy recalled Meilin's warning and shook his head. "Where is Meilin?" The Japanese male's deep blue eyes flashed dangerously, "You don't need to worry about her. Lenalee and Crowley is taking care of the girl." Allen supposed Lenalee is another exorcist. "I can't come with you." Kanda scowled, "Why the hell not?" His eyes stared off into the trees, as if one of them could tell him the answer, "I just can't." Kanda's eyes narrowed. He'd better divert the older male's attention to something else, but what to say? That the weather's nice? Yeah, right. _**Why don't you ask him what Innocence is? You wanted to know didn't you?**_

"What is Innocence?" Kanda's eyes widened a fraction in surprise before he could moderate his expression. Is this boy really General Cross' apprentice? "You don't know what Innocence is? Don't you know what your left arm is?" The moyashi looked at his left arm with a mixture of disgust and fear. Who the heck would fear their left arm? What happened to the boy? Kanda wondered. He's curious, which doesn't happen often. "My anti-akuma weapon?" Is that what his master called it?

"While you call it that, the substance it is made of is called Innocence, also known as God's Crystal. As you should know, you fight akuma with it." Kanda started telling the story he remembered clearly, "The story goes that about a century ago, a certain cube is found. Upon the cube is engraved with the words 'To our descendants. We won against the darkness, and some were destroyed. As you journey along, trouble will surely arise, to prevent this trouble, we leave you with this message.' What was contained in this message was a saying from long ago. It was an instruction on how to use this substance. God's Crystal, the Innocence. The cube itself was made from it. Innocence possesses a special power, and an anti-akuma weapon utilises the Innocence and use it as a weapon against the akuma. The maker of the cube was said to have fought against the Millennium Earl with Innocence and won. This occurred about seven thousand years ago. But as the Earl died, the world is destroyed along with him. This is recorded as 'Noah's Flood' in the old testament. The cube referred to it as 'The Three Days of Darkness'. According to the cube, the world would meet its end at the hands of the Earl once again. So far, the cube's predictions had been correct, and the Earl has reincarnated into this world again. Hence the Vatican decided that they will follow the cube's message and gathered God's Apostles, those who is able to use Innocence, which is the exorcists."

"Therefore, you are coming with me to the headquarters." Kanda grabbed the moyashi's arm to prevent the boy from running again. "Stop, I can't!" The white-haired boy struggled, but couldn't break free. Moyashi is still moyashi, there's no way he's strong enough. "Why not?" He snapped. Kanda's already spent plenty of time explaining what Innocence is and kindly imparted some background knowledge to go with it, now he's getting ticked off. Why did he even bother? But as he looked at the boy's pleading look, his fingers loosened a bit. "Yu! Where are you!" Kanda made up his mind in an instant. He let go of the surprised boy's arm and gestured him to get the hell out of here. The moyashi needn't be told twice.

"Where were you, Yu?" To stall for time, he replied with what he usually does, "Don't call me by my first name. I thought there was another akuma down there." Lavi looked at him doubtfully, but thankfully turned away as Lenalee and Crowley landed next to them with Meilin in tow. One look at their dismal expressions had Lavi asking, "What's wrong?" Meilin looked like she might cry. "Sorry, Meilin's Innocence is destroyed by a Noah." Lenalee informed the other two sadly. "Is it the same one as last time, in the Rewinding Town?" She shook her head, "It's another one." No one needs to be told to know that things are bad. "We need to bring the girl home." Crowley suggested, and they were broken from their reverie.

Allen ran the way which he hoped is back to the settlement. Well, this time Neah actually provided direction, so he's less likely to get lost. Sometimes he wonders if Neah is actually an imaginary being. _I'm hungry. __**You're always hungry. Find shelter first. **_Allen grumbled discontentedly. He's surprised that he actually found the settlement. _Maybe I'm getting better at this... __**Idiot, that's me giving directions just then, it doesn't count.**__ Whatever. _First, lodgings... The peal of a little bell made its way to Allen's ears. He turned to see a black cat with a cross-shaped white patch on its forehead. The sound came from the bell that hung from its neck. The cat turned away from him and ran further down the street. It turned back to see if he's following. Allen smiled. Usually animals shy away from him because of his disfigured arm. The only exception being Mana's dog... He followed the cat down a path he didn't know was there.

Lulubell had sensed Innocence on the boy, but that is not the reason she lead him to the inn. It is because she also felt a sense of bond between him and her. A Noah's bond. It's faint, so the boy could only be half-way to his awakening. She was not sure why he isn't bleeding from his forehead and experiencing agony, but her senses does not lie. This boy is one of them. She'd better report this to her master immediately. Before the boy leaves in the morning.

Kanda found his face relaxing as he thought of the white haired boy and quickly turned his peaceful expression to a frown. Why did he let him go? It's Kanda's mission as well to bring the boy in, but that desperate look made him let go. Normally he would have dragged the boy to the headquarters even if the moyashi is screaming bloody murder. So why... _"You have a complicated love-life ahead of you." _He scowled. Damn fortune teller, even with her crystal ball gone, she still remembered the vision she saw in it. He always knew his love-life is going to be complicated. After all, he needs to find that person... _"The person you love is not who you expect him to be." _Kanda scowled even harder. Him? He thought twelve is past the age to make such a silly mistake. _"At least I don't look like someone who can't be discerned between a man or a woman." _No way... "Yu, a penny for your thoughts!" Kanda grabbed a nearby vase and threw it violently at the Usagi. "Don't address me by my first name!" As if he doesn't have enough to worry about.

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**Okay... GummyRabbit here. As you can see, this is heading towards a Yullen(sorry if you're not into that...) Hopefully, there will be some more action in the next chapter... I'm working on that... Hope you all liked this chapter. Review please! I need feedback! :)**


	6. Neah, Lulu Bell, Tyki Mikk & Mana Walker

**Hello! GummyRabbit here~ Thanks to all who reviewed! You guys all cheered me up!(Xz: Thanks for the reminder, but somehow the italic shows up when I open it, sorry...) Apparently, Lulubell is actually Lulu Bell, as in the first and the surname, so that has to change! This chapter is thanks to a lovely Guest reviewer who urged me to write longer chapters. So here you are. Enjoy!**

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**Neah, Lulu Bell, Tyki Mikk & Mana Walker**

Allen was woken up abruptly by Neah's voice, _**Allen WAKE UP! **_Perhaps it was because of the desperation in Neah's voice or perhaps because of the sheer volume that Neah managed to muster, that Allen's eyes snapped open. A glint of sharp metal drew a line from above him to his left arm, aiming for the Innocence. He yelped and rolled to the side. The knife stabbed into the mattress. The boy looked up and found the the inn owner's daughter standing over his bed, knife in hand again. Something is different about her... In the dark it was hard to tell, but was her hair always that dark? When she turned around, Allen felt a chill. She has molten gold eyes, almost glowing in the night. Timcampy fluttered around, another gold spot in the room, panicked, his fright is contagious. _**Allen, run! Get out of here! **_Prompted by Neah's voice, the boy dashed out of the window, disregarding the fact that he's on the second floor, as he landed on his feet, hitting the ground running. "Wait! Fourteenth!" Called Lulu Bell's voice.

Somehow, he arrived back in the woods, heart beating erratically, not from the run but from panic. _She could've killed me! __**No, she's only aiming for your Innocence. **_Allen remembered where the knife was aimed at- "What did she mean by the fourteenth?" Neah didn't answer. He knew something. But how is that possible? He's a part of Allen's imagination, right? So how can he know something Allen didn't know? _Who are you, Neah? _There was another silence. _You knew about 'Innocence' before I did, didn't you? _Neah did not answer Allen. _Tell me, Neah! __**Get down!**_

He ducked, half on reflex, just missing a whip in the back. She's already caught up! He took one glance behind and ran further into the forest. _You better explain everything after, Neah! __**Get out of this situation first, would you? **_Despite the current predicament, Allen had to smile. Neah is back to normal, even with the sardonic flair, he only felt relief.

Mimi chased after her Lulu Bell-sama, sharp metal fans at the ready. "Lulu Bell-sama!" She cried as she caught sight of the familiar silhouette of her master. Lulu Bell stood still for a moment so that Mimi could catch up. The akuma felt a sense of pride that she is significant enough for Lulu Bell to wait for her. "Lulu Bell-sama! Who are we after?" Her master turned off into the woods, "There's no need to hurry. Tyki will be here soon. The fourteenth cannot escape."

Allen ran until all his sense of direction is gone. He's lost, and spectacularly so. At least she hasn't caught up yet. _Neah, explain. __**I thought you would have me to explain it **_**after **_**we get out of here... **_Neah sighed. _Don't joke, I want an explanation now. _There was a silence. It stretched long enough for Allen to think that maybe Neah's not going to answer him, but then, _**No choice, then, do I? **_Allen stood still. This way, he'd hear people approaching. _**Well, to start off, I'll explain who that woman is, then? Or rather, what she is. **_Allen gestured impatiently for him to continue, _We haven't got all day, you know? __**Right right. She is one of the Noah. Noah is a clan of thirteen apostles, supposedly chosen by God, or so they claim. They can control Dark Matter, and the Innocence's enemy. The Earl is the First Apostle. Every single person has what is called the Noah gene. The story of the Innocence you heard from the exorcist talked about the Noah's Flood. All people are descendants of Noah, but something will trigger some people to awaken their Noah gene, hence gaining the power to control Dark Matter. There would always be thirteen apostles in total, each with their different attributes. **_Allen recalled what Lulu Bell called him, _Then what's with the 'fourteenth'? __**Yes, I'm getting to that. See, in the last generation of Noah, there is one more Noah, which is then referred to as the fourteenth. This shouldn't have happened. But the Noah didn't really question it. You can imagine how surprised they were when the fourteenth tried to kill all of them. The fourteenth killed all but two apostles. That person was me. My name is Neah Campbell, younger brother of Mana D. Campbell, which makes you my nephew.**_

Allen was still processing the information when he heard the tell-tale signs of someone walking towards him. He turned toward the sound, expecting Lulu Bell to stand there. Instead he found a well-dressed man with a top hat, and a mole under his eye. Under the moonlight, Allen sees his unnatural dark ash skin and gold eyes. _**Another Noah. **__Yes I can see that. _"I can see what Lulubell meant about you being one of us, but is not." The Noah smirked. "Who are you?" The Noah advanced a few more steps before answering, "How rude of me. My name is Tyki Mikk-" The man leaned forward to peer at Allen's face, "Ah! It's you! Cheating boy A?" Timcampy looked insulted at the nickname, even though it's not for him. "Enough talk, Tyki. My master wants him now." Lulu Bell melted out of the shadows, followed by a silver-haired maid which Allen recognised as an akuma. "I know that. First, we'll remove the Innocence."

The whip lashed out, and Allen leaped out of the way, barely touching the ground before he had to dodge Tyki's attack. He activated his Innocence, aiming his gun at Lulu Bell and shooting. It missed, predictably. "That all you got, Shounen?" His arm turned into a claw and swiped at the wide-eyed Tyki but as his back is turned, Lulu Bell's whip found its mark. Fire lashed across his back and he stumbled from the force of the blow. Tyki took the chance to land a hit on his chest, hand covered purple with Dark Matter. "Ugh" Allen tried to regain his footing. Damn! Their speed and strength is inhuman. Allen managed to block the whip and a few hits from Tyki, but he is deprived from sleep, they managed to bring him to his knees. They are going to take his Innocence away. As soon as he realised that, he panicked. They can't! As they moved toward him again, Allen made his decision.

"Innocence. Activate to maximum!" Allen shouted with effort, dredging up the last of his energy and the entire silver claw glowed green, growing in size, and before the three could react, the boy pinned them all to a large tree. "Damn you, fourteenth!" Growled Lulu Bell, slipping out of her calm facade. Tyki, however, seemed amused, "Shounen, do you think this will keep us forever? You know activating to maximum has its consequences." He knows. Master had at least told him something. His eyes widened as he felt resistance. Allen's Innocence is slowly being pushed back. He gritted his teeth and dug his heels where they are. The advance stopped momentarily, but started up again, "You can't win this fight, Shounen. Even an Innocence activated to its maximum, if the exorcist is not synchronised enough with his Innocence, you are still not strong enough to win against one, let alone two Noahs." His whole body trembled with the effort to keep them immobile. "Give it up!" The akuma sneered, "You cannot win!" Allen didn't answer, he only pushed his Innocence harder. Please, just this time, just a little more...

Allen heard something break.

The green light disappeared. His entire arm is exposed. His ugly, red arm with the green cross. His arm that is twisted at an impossible angle. The agony came all at once, wild fire that is his left arm. The boy's eyes widened, "Ah-" His trembling lips opened and a wail filled the air.

Once the pain abated slightly, Allen was once again aware of the unwelcome presence of the two Noah and the akuma. His arm is mostly numb, trembling uncontrollably once and a while sending shooting pain up his arm. He's on his knees, too drained to even move. "Now, for the Innocence..." Tyki walked right up to Allen, kneeling down beside the boy, hand on his left shoulder. Allen was sure he's unable to experience even more pain. Yet another scream tore from his throat as Dark Matter ate away his arm. His left arm fell to the ground, and so did Allen. "Did you know, Shounen? We can destroy Innocence. Us Noah." Allen stared at his arm, "Stop." His voice trembled and Tyki talked like he never heard him, "All of the Innocence I stole from the dead has already been destroyed. If any of those Innocence I destroyed was the 'Heart', all the Innocence you guys have would have been wiped out. That's the sign that it was the right one. I wonder if your Innocence is the Heart? But right now, I have to get rid of it so that you can join us."

Tyki leaned down. "Stop..." His hand touched Allen's Innocence. "Stop!" Allen shouted as he watched his arm be ripped apart in the purple light of Dark Matter. The Noah held in the palm of his hand the green cross, and he crushed it in his fist. A flash of green light escaped between his fingers before disappearing. Tyki opened his hand and the boy sees green dust drift out and vanish.

Allen could only feel a very slight amount of surprise when Tim flew in front of him, attempting to shield him from the Noah. "Tim?" He breathed. "Oh, we can't have that, can we? I'll have to destroy the little golem too." Tyki said. "Tim, go." At least Timcampy would survive. Master would be mad if Tim didn't make it. Allen smiled faintly as the golem shook itself vigorously. "Go, please." Tim made a split second decision and flew off at the speed of sound. "Even your golem abandoned you, didn't it?" Tyki stared down at the boy, "You'll be coming with us."

Tyki felt his eyes widen as he felt the presence of Innocence. Namely, the boy's Innocence, seemingly manifesting itself again. The claw swung his way, and in his surprise, he barely avoided it. "Whoa! Where did that come from?!" As fast as it came, the claw broke apart into powder again. His eyes narrowed. He was sure he'd crushed the Innocence, yet there it is, in the air like it never got destroyed. "Tyki... this is..." He nodded, "It could be the Heart." Such tenacity. Its physical form is destroyed, yet it still exists. This way, Tyki can't even destroy it this time. "The Innocence is stubborn. We can't separate the fourteenth from it." Lulu Bell turned away, having lost interest. "We can't bring him to my master like this." Then she and her servant left. Tyki sighed and looked at the boy, then shrugged, "Well, the fourteenth betrayed us anyways."

"Since you and your Innocence are so stubborn, lets have you dying slowly." Allen listened, but didn't care. His arm is gone. What good is he now? "Tease, listen carefully. Just make a hole in his heart. It's better to give him a bit more time before he dies. He will die as he agonises over the fear invading his body as blood pours from his heart." Pain he could never get used to tore through his battered body once again. "Ah-" Something warm flowed out of his mouth, taking with it the rest of the heat in his body.

The train was about to leave when Kanda was hit around the head by a gold golem, "What the-" He's seen the golem before... where? "Are you... General Cross' golem?" The thing is frantic, flapping around annoyingly. It wants Kanda to follow it. "Hey! Yu! The train is leaving! Hurry!" Kanda wanted to introduce his Mugen to the Baka Usagi's gut, but right now, he has other matters to attend to. "Go on without me! I'll catch up later!"

"You... Where are you leading me?" Kanda growled, impatience evident in his voice. The golem just kept him leading on. Finally, they arrived at a clearing. Kanda stared in shock, "Moyashi?" When the boy didn't respond, he ran to him. Kanda grimaced. The boy's left arm is gone. His breathing is laboured and uneven. Humans. So damn fragile. The older male picked him up. The white-haired boy coughed and blood stained Kanda's exorcist uniform. Unrest settled in Kanda. This... this is serious, right? The Asian Branch should be very close.

"What do you mean, you can't tell what's wrong with him?" Kanda scowled. Already his patience is nearing its limit. He's going to have to break something soon. Maybe a few bones. His nerves are frayed from carrying the moyashi all the way here, with the boy coughing blood on him every so often. Bak looked lost here too, "Why not? Our scanners are the same prototype as the Gatekeeper's in the European Branch, right? It should be the latest model." Wong shook his head, "It seems like the only thing the scanner picked up was Walker's cursed eye. Everything else was just an incomprehensible blur. All we were able to conclude is that he's suffering from intense internal bleeding but nothing else." Bak looked thoughtful, "Why would the scanner be unable to pick up anything but the scar on Walker's face?"

Even though its been nearly a week, Kanda still stayed and looked out for the troublesome moyashi. Right now he looked at the white-haired boy again. He's getting better. Even Kanda can tell. "Hey, Bak, how did the moyashi get his scar?" The head of the Asian Branch looked at the exorcist curiously. "Haven't seen you so interested in someone since Alma." Kanda stiffened at that, but Bak moved on, "The boy's past could possibly be on a par to yours in terms of sadness." Kanda would never have noticed. The boy always acted so... naïve.

"He was abandoned as a child because of his left arm, as you can guess, but he was adopted by Mana Walker. However, three years ago, Mana died." It is quite a sob story. Someone who has no parents. Kanda somewhat understood that feeling. But to have known what it's like to have a father, then losing it... "As you would think, Allen couldn't move on. The Earl took advantage of that." Kanda's expression must've been pretty ugly, from the way Bak looked at him, "He turned his father into an akuma?" How did he survive that? Before he could ask, Bak answered it for him, "Not only that, Kanda. His own Innocence activated and destroyed his father."

That silenced Kanda. "He got his scar from that encounter. Do you know? The nature of Walker's curse?" He shook his head no. "Apparently he sees the soul of akumas. Though that hadn't been confirmed to be true or not, Walker had always been able to find akuma even when they wore human skin, so there's little chance for that to be a lie. The soul of an akuma... I wonder what that would look like. Somehow I know it won't be a pretty sight. Just what kind of a world does Walker perceive?" Just how ugly is that world? The question hung in the air between them, unspoken.

_A white disk hovered over him. The moon... It's big... It keeps on getting bigger. In fear, Allen lifted his hand, trying to ward off what is coming at him. No... Don't! Don't come any closer... Stay away!_

_He's in a white room. He felt his back pressed into an armchair, both his hands resting on the arms. Both his hands... He stared at his left hand. Normal, just like any left arm. Allen let out a breath. The arm embedded with Innocence is gone. The arm that destroyed his father is gone. Why does he feel so hollow? __**"Allen..." **__He looked up. A young man with messy black hair and black eyes smiled tentatively at the boy. "Neah..." He looks like Mana. The resemblance hurts. __**"Are you ready to wake up? Kanda is really worried right now." **__He looked down at his left hand again. Normal. Like the rest of him. He's no longer an exorcist. "BaKanda? Why?" I'm no longer an exorcist. Why should he worry about me? __**"Allen, you have to wake up." **__You have to wake up. Wake up. Wake up._

His eyes opened slowly. There's no feeling in his left arm, and he knows it's gone. _I am still alive. Why am I still alive? _He stared at the brick ceiling. This... is not a hospital... "Where... am I?" He croaked, throat parched. He screamed a lot, after all. "You are at the Asian Branch of the Black Order, moyashi." Eyes swivelling to the source of the sound, he spotted the long-haired exorcist, "It's Allen. Why did you bother?" The exorcist gave him an annoyed look, but then, when had Kanda not been annoyed? "Why did I bother what?" Allen ran the fingers of his right hand through his hair. It had been cleaned, "Saving me. I'm no longer able to destroy akuma, you know?" The other male grunted, "So what? Because of that, I'm going to leave you to die?" Leave him to die... He covered his face with the back of his hand, "Yeah... I should have just died three years ago."

As soon as the akuma that is Mana was destroyed, Allen's life had lost its purpose. From then on he merely lived for the akuma. He merely lived for the dead. Now he can't even do that. This powerless form of himself. This self that had not grown a day since Mana died. He hates it. Cool fingers gripped his wrist, a thumb brushed his cheek, where hot tears flowed down silently. Kanda didn't say anything. Allen was glad for that.


	7. That Which Has Changed

**That Which Has Changed**

Neah sat back on the piano seat, the last melodic note resounding in the white room satisfyingly. He smiled, looking up at the screen opened up for him. That exorcist, Kanda, he's good at getting Allen out of his gloomy mood. Neah couldn't help but smirk at his nephew, who's engrossed in arguing with Kanda. Then he turned to a corner of his room, frowning, _**"How long are you going to stay there? Crowned Clown." **_The white form is of a cape, fluttering around from non-existent wind. The mask had nothing underneath, but its voice still floated quietly to Neah's ears, _"You should know. If I return to him now, he will have to join the Order. Both you and I wouldn't like that."_ Neah turned to screen again, eyes softening, _**"True. I guess we are in agreement on that." **_He hesitated, then sighed, _**"Should we shake hands on that? If you have hands, that is." **_The Innocence seemed surprised, _"A Noah like you would go so far? Why?"_ He still looked at the screen, face a picture of yearning, _**"I wonder why... Allen is only supposed to be a host for my memories, yet... Right now, I only see him as my nephew. Mana's precious son."**_ They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. _**Really, what had changed? **_Neah wondered.

Kanda slammed yet another door of a a restaurant that rejected them, or rather, Kanda rejected. "Seriously! What's with you and soba?! Can't you eat anything else?!" Allen is near starving, and Kanda is rejecting restaurants left, right and center. "Yes! Though a glutton like you would never understand what it's like to have a favourite food!" He snapped back irritably. "What?! How rude! For your information, I do have a favourite food, but you are plainly going overboard! Who eats soba for breakfast, lunch and dinner for every single week of the day?!" Allen is starting to shout, disregarding manners whatsoever. Kanda doesn't deserve courtesy. "You are looking at one such person." The boy threw his hands up in the air, like 'you see?'. "How do I know you have a favourite food? I swear that you don't even chew your food properly!" Allen glared, "I do too!" "What's your favourite food then?" Kanda smirked at him mockingly. "Mitarashi dango!" His smirk turned into a frown of mild disgust, "It's sweet." "You got a problem with that, BaKanda?" "Shut up, Moyashi!" "It's Allen!" _**Really, you two boys... **__He started it! _Neah can be heard sighing.

Kanda was only half-way through his soba when Allen started on dessert. He paused, "Kanda, if you eat something that isn't soba, will something happen to you?" Kanda gave him a weird look, not liking where this conversation is heading, "I will kill the person who fed me that." Allen cut a bit off his chocolate tart, smiling, "Then all's good." He said cheerfully. The older male leaned back, taking in the almost black substance presented to him on Allen's spoon, "Now, Kanda, open wide..." As he opened his mouth to protest, Allen took the chance to quickly put the bit of tart between his lips and watched amusedly as Kanda turned green. Before the exorcist could explode, Allen tactfully moved on to another topic, "Kanda, what will you do now? Don't you have a mission to fulfill?" The long-haired male immediately turned serious, averting the demolition of this restaurant from his potential rage at being fed something that is not soba(not to mention sweet), "I'll catch up to the rest of Cross' group. It has been confirmed that Cross is heading to Japan before his ship sank. There's little chance of him surviving, General or not, but we can't let go of the chance that he's in Japan, so we have to head that way." A small part of Allen hoped that his master is dead, but he knew it was not to be so, "Master wouldn't die merely because his ship sank in the middle of an ocean, Kanda." He still looked doubtful, "What do you plan to do? You can't fight anymore." Kanda's words stung, but he'd never been one for words, had he? Before the boy could answer, his left eyes, which he had forgotten is a separate existence from his Innocence, activated. "Moyashi?" No time for words, Allen lunged for Kanda across the table, pushing him down as the windows of the restaurant shattered and bullets rained down.

"There are eight akumas, three level twos and five level ones. One of the level two is behind the building." Kanda stared in shock at the boy who recited the information with cold precision. His eyes... "I can't fight you know..." His voice is bitter, but it's a lot more polite than the way he talked to Kanda before. This made Kanda leap out of the building, destroying the level ones in a single blow from his Mugen. The level twos went down just nearly as easily. "Amazing, Kanda. When I still had my Innocence, I can only just defeat a level two." The boy is acting bitter again, "Tch. Moyashi." Allen immediately reciprocated, "It's Allen, BaKanda!"

"Huh? Take me with you?" Kanda nodded, not caring to repeat himself. Allen and Bak looked surprised by this. Allen is no longer an exorcist but Kanda just suggested that he should go and find General Cross with them. Frankly, Allen didn't like the idea of finding his master, under any and all circumstances. "You may not have your Innocence, but you still have the curse in your eye. That's enough reason for me to take you with me." His eye... At the time, when he saw their souls, crying, screaming for help, his heart ripped apart. He can't help. He can't free them.

But he can see them. Shouldn't that be worth something?

Kanda felt every passing second make the moyashi all the more aggravating. The past few hours had been a flurry of transport systems, from carriage to walking, from walking to the train. They are now thankfully on the train, in their own compartment, but ever since a long while the moyashi had been doing nothing but stare into space and fingering what was left of his left arm, which is just the shoulder. Kanda understood how that could be an inconvenience(okay, understatement) to have just one arm. He had seen the boy stumble from the loss of balance from the absence of the weight of his Innocence, but that doesn't make it any easier to bear.

"Would you stop that?" Allen turned to Kanda, surprised by the sudden words, "What?" _**He means the fact that you can't seem to stop touching your stub. **_Allen let his hand fall into his lap, "Sorry." He just doesn't understand! Why isn't his arm there? Sure, he knows how this came to be but... The boy couldn't stop being surprised by the fact that his arm is not there. It's almost like what happened with Mana... It's just another thing he took for granted. What he thought, what he _knew _will always be there. But he's wrong. He couldn't be more wrong.

Kanda grasped his hand, grip firm, but not without warmth. Allen felt the callouses, result of hours and hours of training. He looked at the older male, surprised. Kanda was looking away, out the window, but, "I won't let go." He said in his ill-tempered tone, making Allen smile. The boy shifted his hand, letting their fingers interlock, palm to palm.

Over the course of this few days where he was recovering, Allen had bouts of ups and downs in his mood, and every time, _every_ time, Kanda managed to drag him out of his depressed mood. Allen noticed, of course, but he didn't comment. He was afraid that if he did, Kanda would stop doing that and one day just leave the boy lost in his hurt and sense of abandonment. But right now, Allen's fine. Better than fine. _Thank you, Kanda. __**You know he can't hear you. Say it out loud. **_Allen didn't answer. Allen wouldn't take Kanda for granted. Not Kanda.

A small thump startled Kanda out of his drifting thoughts. He turned to the moyashi, only to find the younger boy asleep against his shoulder. He stiffened for a second, then relaxed ever so slightly. The other boy is really light, he realised. Moyashi is moyashi, of course he's light. He let the boy lean on his shoulder. He's tempted to lean back into Allen's warmth, then mentally slapped himself. "Tch. Moyashi." He muttered. _"The person you love is not who you expect him to be." _Kanda studied the boy, noting his slender fingers, his snow white hair, his delicate features. Seriously, who's the she-male here? He let himself brush his thumb along the boy's knuckles before Kanda looked out the window again. _"You have a complicated love-life ahead of you." _Damn fortune teller, Kanda cursed her for the words that refused to leave him alone. What is this feeling? More importantly, why is he feeling like this around Allen? What had changed? "I haven't forgiven you for feeding me that piece of chocolate tart yet." He murmured to the sleeping boy, but the anger is absent from his tone.

"Lenalee! Have you found him ye-" Lavi's shout was furiously hushed by the green-haired girl, who was peeking into a compartment with an aura reminiscent that of a mother hen(oh my! Kanda, you're such a big boy now! *sob*). Lavi looked in too, his single green eye widening for a second. Kanda sat with the white-haired boy who Lavi met on a certain train before, Allen Walker probably, holding hands, both were fast asleep. Lavi knew, that in this moment, this is the only chance he will ever get in his lifetime. He reached into his pocket and produced a marker pen, ready to draw on Kanda's face. Lenalee slapped his hand away from the sleeping couple.

"Kanda's face when he is awake and when he is sleeping is so different." Lavi observed, and Lenalee nodded, "Hmm, I understand what you mean. He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping, doesn't he? You actually realise that he's got a pretty face." The two boys slept soundly, more relaxed than Lavi has ever seen him. It's not like Lavi's never seen Kanda sleep before, but his sleep is always so light that even the slightest foreign noise would wake him. This time, though, it's different. Which is why Lavi's hand is itching to doodle on his face.

"Who is the boy, by the way? He's lost his left arm, how unfortunate." Lavi jolted. Because of the long sleeved shirt Allen wore, he didn't notice at first, but now that Lenalee pointed it out... But that may not be a bad thing. Fifteen's too young to fight in a war. Lots of things changed since he last checked on things, didn't it? The question is what had changed? A boy who could crack even Kanda's nutshell... Well, there's still a bit that hadn't cracked yet, but he's sure the boy's working on that. This is the boy who didn't hesitate to cheat so blatantly in poker, after all, he's sure to have a few tricks up his sleeve. He can't wait for this to play out. As a bookman, that is.

"_**By the way, I've never asked, but why did you save Allen?" **_Neah looked at Crowned Clown, eyes alight with curiosity. The Innocence was silent for a moment, _"Allen may just be one loved by God. Protecting him was not my work, yet I felt compelled to save him."_ Neah chuckled, _**"You and I both. Crowned Clown, God's Clown, do you believe in God?" **__"... Allen does not believe in God."_ The Noah turned away from Crowned Clown, starting another piece on his piano, playing a lullaby for his nephew, who's sleeping, _**"That's not what I asked. What I asked is if God's Clown, you, Innocence, do you believe in God?" **_For a moment, the Innocence is silent again, it was almost like Neah can see the gears turning in its head, _"I have forsaken God the moment I stole Allen from his Death's embrace."_ Still playing his lullaby, Neah said, _**"You still haven't answered my question." **__"No God I acknowledge will let a boy go through what Allen experienced."_ Neah smiled for real, _**We all are under Allen's spell, whether he realises it or not. Mana, is this what you saw in this boy? I can see it. For the first time.**_ To the Innocence, Neah sighed, **_"You and I are like white and black. But Allen's different. He's both white and black. He's a shining silver. Maybe that's what we are all drawn to?" _**The Innocence seemed to smile for the first time, _"You're wrong. As you said, we are like white and black. Allen's not silver. He's all the colour in between."_ They both looked at the screen that showed Allen and Kanda sleeping, the redhead and girl watching, smiling. _"The path in between white and black is a harsh path to follow."_ Neah flashed the Innocence a grin, and Crowned Clown seemed startled by it, _**"Which is why we have to help him, right? Keep him on the right path." I will protect your son, Mana. If I keep watching through his eyes, maybe, I'll get to see the world we both hoped to see one day. Allen deserves a world like that too.**_

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**Hey, GummyRabbit here. This chapter is shorter than the last one(I know, sorry...). I have to write my speech for class, so yeah...(They should make speech illegal. I hate speech, I should make a speech about how speech should be illegal, but that would defeat the purpose) Anyways, that's enough of my boring life, hope you enjoyed it. I feel like I need feedback to make my work better, so please review!**


	8. Difference Between Innocences

**Okay, I had no idea what to write for this, so please don't kill me for this chapter(at least it's relatively long?) Anyways, enjoy(I hope)!**

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**Difference Between Innocences**

_**I see how a woman could be taller than some men and have broad shoulders.**_ Neah said, voice tinged with irony. _No... I didn't mean this extreme... _"[Insert Chinese language here]" The woman(for she is undoubtedly a woman) cracked her knuckles threateningly, and all but Kanda cowered at that. "We-we're sorry. I don't understand what is going on, but we're sorry!" Allen tried to placate the Chinese woman with english, meanwhile Lavi had the audacity to blurt out, albeit in english, which Allen assumed the woman couldn't speak, "No way! He's a she?!" The woman picked the terrified two up by their collars while Lenalee talked to her frantically in Chinese.

"Please go around the back door. Because you can't get through to the mistress' room from here." Allen started. The woman spoke perfectly fluent english. She had a tattoo of the cross on her tongue which she showed to them, "We are supporters of the church."

"Welcome exorcists," The well-dressed, beautiful woman said, "I am Anita, the owner of this shop." Lavi immediately went 'strike!' though Allen wasn't sure what that entails. The only one who isn't awed by her beauty is, of course, Kanda. He's got that same expression on his face again, like he can't wait for the talking to be finished, and is willing to kill and threaten to hasten the process if necessary. "As I sent a message to the Order, I assume you exorcists would have known that General was lost at sea a fortnight ago. They odds is that he is dead by now."

Ignoring Anita's sad expression, Kanda pressed on insensitively, "We need means of transport to get to Japan. If there is a small chance that he is alive, we'll have to go and protect him." _Not that he needs protecting. _Allen muttered resentfully in his heart. Why is he even here? He could have just refused Kanda's offer, but he felt that if he rejected it then, he wouldn't ever be a part of this hidden world ever again. A world where bringing back the dead meant curses and tortured souls.

Anita had already arranged transport for them. As soon as they get ready, they'll set off. Lenalee went to call the headquarters to tell them that, Bookman and Crowley went to drink tea. Lavi, Kanda and Allen, with nothing to do, went exploring the streets. All was peaceful. The bridge underfoot is of pale stone and the blue water underneath is stirring sluggishly from the slight wind. Appearances could be deceiving. "Kanda, five akuma." Lavi turned, "Huh?" Right before the Japanese male nearly impaled his sword into his face. "Eek!" The redhead screamed, leaning back, barely avoiding the wicked sharp Mugen. "Four." One by one, the akuma fell at a surprising rate, Allen could only stare in stunned silence. Kanda's black hair flowed behind him as he performed his dance of swords, every movement infinitely efficient and elegant. Since the first cut of Kanda's katana, Allen was entranced. He could stand here all day watching Kanda swing Mugen.

All too soon, the dance ended, Kanda turned to Allen, "Are there any more?" He shook his head, eye deactivating. "Allen and Kanda! That was scary! You could have warned me at least!" Lavi complained, "But you guys are a great combination, completely in sync. I only registered your first statement by the time Kanda cut down the second akuma." Allen smiled, "Is that so?" _Why can't I fight? Why am I so useless? When I see the souls of those akuma, I could only rely on Kanda to free them for me._ Allen gritted his teeth. _**Allen, don't beat yourself up for it...**_ Neah murmured to Allen hesitantly. Kanda stared hard at him, then turned away in annoyance, "Tch. I refuse to cooperate with this moyashi." Allen was about to remind the idiot for the thousandth time that his name is 'Allen', but Kanda talked again, "Destroying akuma is my job, not yours. There's no reason you should feel responsible for the akuma."

Once again, Kanda found himself wondering whether he should have made that offer to Allen. Every time the boy's cursed eye activates, the boy continued to put himself through torture. What Kanda did allowed Allen to be in a position to hurt himself. But if he asked the moyashi to live a normal life now... He'll surely be hurt even more. Kanda realise he's being too considerate to the white-haired boy, but he couldn't help himself. Every time he sees the moyashi trying to hide his hurt behind that smiling mask, Kanda felt a feeling of this fake body created through the accursed project being crushed under a weight he could just barely withstand. He couldn't breathe properly. Kanda was sure he isn't supposed to be feeling like that, but with the moyashi around, he felt himself losing grasp to things like what is 'supposed to be' and what 'should be'. It's like they just held no meaning to Kanda anymore. Is something wrong with him?

Allen sat on the crow's nest of the ship, waiting for the orders to take off when he saw something unbelievable. "Everyone!" He shouted desperately down to the people underneath, "Akuma incoming!" They stopped in loading their supplies, scrambling for their equipment. Allen looked up again, left eye throbbing from the sheer amount of akuma flying this way. His vision is near completely obscured by the sinister glow of Dark Matter. Soon, everyone else can see them. So much that they darkened the sky like a storm on the horizon, as if the sky isn't already dark enough with the night on its way. "Hey! Moyashi!" Allen flinched and looked to Kanda, who'd climbed up to the boy, "Get down from here!" Without waiting for his reply, the older male wrapped his left arm around Allen's waist and hauled him downwards, which is exactly when the first wave of akuma swarmed to the ship. And passed them completely.

"What?" Kanda muttered disbelievingly. _If we are not their target... What could they be after? _Allen wondered, but a small strand of Dark Matter strayed from the group, so small it was barely perceivable, "Kanda, duck!" His warning came too late as he felt the dizzying change in perspective he dangled upside down, legs in the jaw of a wasp-like akuma, who snickered, "What do we have here? An exorcist and a human?" Oh crap, Kanda looks majorly pissed, "Don't talk down to me!" He snarled, one cut of his sword made his captive explode into ash, and they began their long descent to the ground. Allen just realised he can't fly.

Snapping branches and a 'oof's later, Allen fell hard onto the forest floor. Just as he thought all is over, however, someone fell on top of him. The boy gagged and curled up, trying to regain the breath that the impact robbed of him. Of all the things to happen, "BaKanda, get off of me!" Allen wheezed. Unfortunately, Kanda is still on top of him, "I don't get it." Allen finally managed to regain his breath again, "What don't you get? If you broke your leg I'm not going to help." There was a silence, Kanda's brilliant blue eyes just an inch away from his own eyes, "I'm heavier than you, so how come you reached the ground before me?" Allen stared into Kanda's eyes a bit more, then he looked away, a bit disappointed. Was that what he doesn't get? Was that all? "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" The boy whispered. What's wrong with him? Why was he disappointed? He doesn't know anymore. These few days had just been too confusing.

A rumble and a bluish flash of light caught their attention, Kanda finally getting off him. "What was that?" Allen asked before he heard Lenalee's call. "Get us up there, would you?" Kanda demanded, his arm circling around Allen's shoulders, drawing him close to his chest and held his hand out to Lenalee, "Hey, BaKanda, what are you-" The boy's breath left him as Lenalee kicked off the ground with her Dark Boots with the two male in tow. They landed on a ledge of the mountain and looked toward the huge glowing thing that roughly resembled a person's torso. "Suman?"

"Aaaahhhh!" Lenalee screamed, hand over her head, like she's trying to ward off a terrifying memory. She fell to her knees. "Suman. A fallen one?" Kanda froze and Allen knelt beside her, "Lenalee? What does that mean?" Once she calmed down a little, she started talking, "A fallen one is someone rejected by the Innocence. It happens when you try to force a incompatible person with an Innocence. The synchronisation rate drops below zero. But Suman was compatible with Innocence, so why?" Blue light blazed again, Allen turned to see the akuma surrounding the fallen one was annihilated by the beam of energy that burned through hundreds upon hundreds of them. _Such destructive power. __**The only reason why an exorcist would fall would be if he betrayed the Innocence. Betrayed God and made a bargain with the devil. **__Neah? _"We have to help..." He looked down and Lenalee looked at the two males with pleading eyes, "We have to help Suman." Neah didn't stop talking, however, _**The Innocence would not forgive its accommodator. It will use the exorcist's life energy to destroy its surroundings. It won't stop until the exorcist is dead. There's no way to save a fallen one. Unless you separate the Innocence from the exorcist.**_ "I don't know what will happen to Suman... I don't know anything..." Lenalee's cheek were stained wet with tears. Allen couldn't make any reassurance that could comfort her. He can't fight anymore.

"If you separate the Innocence from Suman, then he might be able to be saved... right?" Allen found himself saying. "Because the Innocence is the cause of this isn't it?" He turned to the other two, "Kanda, Lenalee, do your best to bring Suman back safe and sound, okay?" He tried to smile encouragingly, but maybe he'd failed, from the look Kanda gave him. He'd never thought the exorcist can look so worried for someone.

Kanda didn't much care for Suman Dark. Nor does he have any heroic tendencies where he go out of his way to save someone, but the moyashi had asked him to try his best. With that painful smile again. Does the moyashi like hurting himself or what? But even his best wasn't enough. He looked down at the Innocence clutched in his hand. Then down at the deathly pale form. There is no consciousness in Suman's open eyes, a string of drool fell from his open jaw. Will Allen be disappointed in Kanda? Even in his best, he couldn't save one person.

Allen scoured the forest for any presence of Kanda and Suman. He was sure they fell somewhere here, then, he sees Kanda, his raven black hair untied, standing over Suman, who knelt. He let out a sigh of relief, starting to walk towards them, but suddenly, Suman's upper half bursted into little black butterflies. Kanda jumped back, then looked around. Allen started to run. _**No! Stop, Allen! **_He stopped, body refusing to obey him, _Neah, what did you do?! _The boy struggled to moved his body in vain, _Let me go! __**No! A Noah is nearby, don't attract his attention! You can't fight as you are, you know this more than anyone! **_Allen's struggles doubled. He watched as Tyki strode up to Kanda. Saw them engage in battle. Kanda is tired, he's exhausted from the effort of saving Suman. Watched as Kanda sustained injury after injury. The Japanese male paid them no heed. _Neah, let me go! I have to get to Kanda! __**And what? You'll just be a burden to him! You can't fight a Noah right now, he'll have to protect you as well as fight Tyki. **_Allen's struggles ceased.

Kanda was forced to his knees, it looks like he couldn't concentrate properly due to fatigue. Saving Suman must have taken more of a toll on him than Allen first thought. _No no no. Neah please, let me go._ Allen begged and begged. _**Why do you go so far? You fight with him all the time, it's not like he's your friend. Why would you risk your life for him? **__This is not the time! Let me go. __**No. **_Neah's voice is firm, **_You have to tell me this. My nephew is risking his life right now. I want to know why._** Allen tried to move his body again, _Because I have to! I'm willing to risk my life for him! Why won't you let me go?!_ Tyki Mikk was talking. His hand shot forward and went right through Kanda's chest, then began slowly drawing out, a sadistic grin splitting his face.

He's seen this... what is this... don't remember, keep it buried, forget it... but his mind generated that memory like it happened yesterday. An upturned carriage sank in the snow, wheels still spinning slowly, Mana lay still. Allen's body shuddered at the onslaught of memory and horror until he wished his heart would just freeze over. He knows why he would die for Kanda. _Because he is important to me. _He'd seen Mana die. Kanda couldn't die. He won't let Tyki kill him. The invisible hands holding his body against his will dropped away. _Thank you Neah._

Damn it. Kanda thought this as he felt the gloved hand in his chest. Suman's Innocence must have done something to him when he tried to separate Suman from it. Kanda's healing abilities should have caught up by now, yet he still could barely move. If this keeps up, he could really die. But it may not be entirely a bad thing... Even someone like him could meet an end. Even his life could run out. "Your body composition is most curious, second exorcist. Is this equivalent to your heart?" Then the Noah's eyes narrowed. His hand left Kanda's chest and something passed through the Noah's own head. A fist. "Oh? Shounen, are you still alive?"

Kanda looked at moyashi in shock. What is the idiot thinking? "Moyashi! What are you doing? Get out of here!" Allen looked at him and smiled. Somehow that smile is more real than any he'd shown Kanda before. "Sorry, Tyki, you can't kill Kanda." The boy stood in front of Kanda, as if he could shield him from the Noah. "How can you still be alive? I made sure the injury you sustained was fatal." Allen seemed to tense a bit, "If you thought so, then that means you're wrong." Tyki shook his head, smirking, "Tell me, what sort of human can survive a hole in his heart?" Kanda felt himself jolt and the moyashi seemed similarly shaken. "Truly, what a monster you are."

"Though I don't think you'll survive with an entire organ missing. How about we test that theory?" Tyki jumped forward. Kanda pushed himself up, only to fall back to his knees when he was assaulted with a bout of lightheadedness. Damn the Innocence! Before he could try again, a pale green light pooled into the dark clearing. He hears Allen's intake of breath, as stunned as Kanda is as they gazed upon a white cape, a mask and a black claw that stood between the boy and the Noah. The cape then folded back, enveloping Allen with light as the mask and claw fit in place, the claw with long nails returned as Allen's left arm. "Damn it. This is going to take way too much time." The Noah muttered, annoyed, and left quickly.

What presumed to be Allen's Innocence deactivated, and the moyashi ran to Kanda, kneeling down before him. "Kanda?" Hands cupped Kanda's face, one soft and white, the other rough and dark. The boy's silver eyes stared into his, Kanda can see the fear in them and feel the trembling of the moyashi's fingers, "What do you want?" He muttered irritably, hoping Allen would stop acting so strange. Instead, Allen's controlled trembling turned into an all-out shake, he put his arms around Kanda's waist, holding tight, "I made it in time, I made it in time." Even through the clothes, Kanda can feel the boy's erratically beating heart. Was he actually-

A warm hand caressed his head, "Moyashi, were you actually scared?" Scared. That was one way to describe what Allen felt when he saw Tyki- he shuddered again. The hand holding his head pressed him closer, "I'm fine now. It's okay." Only then did his rapidly beating heart settle. He sank into Kanda's warmth.

Lenalee and Lavi looked for the two all night, only to find Kanda carrying Allen, walking calmly toward the direction of the ship. When Lenalee asked for Suman, he only gave her the Innocence, "A Noah killed him." Lenalee cried. Kanda's own wounds have yet to heal because of the effect of the Innocence. "Wait... Is that Allen's left arm?" Lavi pointed to the black arm that had been absent before. "I did not know what happened, it just suddenly appeared." They are all mystified by how this turned out.

_He's back here again, in this white room. Neah smiled at him in welcome. Allen looked down at his hands again, but was disappointed to find that they were completely normal. Was everything just a dream? __**"Allen, it's not your imagination, your Innocence is back."**__ Neah gestured to another corner of the room, which contained a white couch. On it sat his Innocence, with the cape and mask and arm. "Hello." Allen said, startled, "Will you be staying?" __"Yes, I'll be staying. I won't leave even if you want me to."_ _The Innocence said with a touch of humour. Allen smiled. The Innocence will be staying. Everything is okay. __**"Allen, you need some rest, so we'll let you do that, won't we?" **__Neah asked, and Allen stood up and hugged him, "Thank you, Uncle Neah." There was a pause where Neah wondered what to do, then he sighed and hugged his nephew back, __**"You have nothing to thank me for." **__"Thank you for being here for me." Neah ruffled the boy's snow white hair, grinning, __**"Anytime, Allen."**_


End file.
